title: The results of the brain computer tomography and clinical picture in acute cholinesterase inhibitors poisoning.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate a morphological and functional status of the CNS in acute cholinesterase inhibitors (ChI) poisonings using the brain computer tomography (CT) and complex psychiatric examination. Under examination there were 59 cholinesterase inhibitors orally poisoned patients, treated at the Department of Clinical Toxicology in years 1984-1997, aged from 14 to 68 (mean 34.7 +/- 12.8) years. The examined group comprised 9 women (15.3%) and 50 men (84.7%). Between the 3rd and 7th day of hospitalisation a complex psychiatric examination was performed. The CNS damage was diagnosed when the point score from complex psychiatric examination was minimum 5 points. CT was performed between the 3rd and 10th day after the intoxication. Incorrect CT scans were found in 78% of poisoned patients. The most common lesion was generalised cortex atrophy and subcortex atrophy of the brain (73.9%), followed by isolated cortex (17.4%) and subcortex atrophy with simultaneous areas of low density in the subcortical nuclei (8.7%). The frequency of incorrect CT scans was statistically higher (p < 0.01) in the group of organophosphorous compounds poisoned patients compared to those poisoned with carbamates. The complex psychiatric examination revealed in 24 patients (40.7%) the differently intensified alterations, but the point score was not higher than 4. Unquestionable damage of the CNS was recognised in 34 patients (57.6%) of the ChI poisoned patients. The frequency of CNS changes detected in complex psychiatric examination was statistically higher (p < 0.01) in the group of the severely poisoned patients. The significantly higher frequency of pathological changes revealed by the brain CT was found in the group of patients with higher than 5 point score obtained from the complex psychiatric evaluation compared to those with score lower than 5 (p < 0.001).
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Toxicology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, Kraków.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pach
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Winnik
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuśmiderski
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pach
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Groszek
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000097:blood; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000506:poisoning*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase